Word tables come with lines around every cell, but you don’t always want them. You might want an invisible table to line up text, remove just the inside lines, or delete a single stray border. Word gives you three tools: the Borders menu, the Eraser, and the Borders and Shading dialog. This guide shows when to use each, and how to deal with the faint gridlines that remain on screen.
Quick Answer
Click inside the table, then click the table move handle (the four-arrow icon at the top-left) to select the whole table. On the Table Design tab, click the arrow under Borders and choose No Border. The lines disappear from the printout; any light blue dashed lines you still see are on-screen gridlines only.
Remove All Table Lines
- Hover over the table and click the move handle at its top-left corner to select the entire table.
- Go to Table Design (called Design in older versions).
- Click the arrow under Borders and choose No Border.
Remove Only Some Lines
- Inside lines only: select the table, then choose Borders > Inside Borders to toggle them off (the icon turns un-highlighted).
- Outside frame only: choose Borders > Outside Borders to toggle the outer box.
- Specific cells: select those cells first, then choose the border you want to remove, such as Bottom Border or Right Border. Each option toggles on and off.
Use the Eraser for Individual Lines
- Click in the table and go to Table Layout (or Layout).
- Click Eraser in the Draw group. The cursor becomes an eraser.
- Click or drag across a line to remove it.
- Press Esc or click Eraser again to stop.
Important: erasing a line between two cells merges those cells. If you only want to hide a line but keep separate cells, use the Borders menu instead. Erasing an outer edge just removes the border.
Use Border Painter to Hide a Line
On Table Design, set Border Styles to No Border (or choose the white/none line style), click Border Painter, and click the lines you want to hide. The cells stay separate.
Borders and Shading Dialog
For precise control, select the table or cells, choose Borders > Borders and Shading, click None under Setting (or click individual lines in the Preview diagram to toggle them), confirm Apply to: Table or Cell, and click OK.
Hide the Gridlines on Screen
After removing borders, Word may show light dashed gridlines so you can see the table structure. They don’t print. To hide them, click in the table and choose Table Layout > View Gridlines (or Borders > View Gridlines) to toggle them off.
Convert the Table to Text Instead
If you don’t need a table at all, select it and choose Table Layout > Convert to Text. Pick tabs or another separator, and the content stays with the lines removed.
Troubleshooting
- Lines still print: you may have removed borders from only some cells. Select the whole table and apply No Border again.
- A line won’t go away: it might be a paragraph border or a shape, not a table border. Click just above it and use Home > Borders > No Border.
- Cells merged by accident: press Ctrl + Z, or split the cell with Table Layout > Split Cells.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a table invisible but keep its layout?
Yes. Apply No Border and turn off View Gridlines; the content stays aligned.
Does this work in Word for Mac and the web?
Yes. The Table Design Borders menu works the same; Word for the web has fewer drawing tools, such as Eraser.
Summary
- Select the table and choose Table Design > Borders > No Border.
- Toggle Inside or Outside Borders to remove only some lines.
- Use Border Painter to hide single lines, or Eraser if you want to merge cells.
- Turn off View Gridlines to hide on-screen guides.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.